


Show Me Where Your Tan Lines Go

by genki_blonde



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Gen, Hotch feels like a father even at work, M/M, Pre-Slash, Silly, Tan lines, Wrestling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-11 11:17:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/798103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genki_blonde/pseuds/genki_blonde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the unit chief stepped onto the walkway, the commotion in the bullpen drew his attention. Sometimes he felt like a father even at work. With an air of authority Hotch made his way towards the break room…</p>
<p>…where Morgan was apparently trying to wrestle Reid’s pants off the younger agent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Show Me Where Your Tan Lines Go

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: There is a Finnish song about tan lines. You can blame it for inspiring me. :D

Spencer walks into the BAU bullpen fresh from leave. Or as fresh as anyone can be after spending their two-week-vacation with their schizophrenic mother in Las Vegas.

The first to notice him is Morgan. He is staring at the coffee machine in the breakroom with a contemplative look. Apparently he believes that constant vigilance will make the coffee percolate faster. As he flicks his gaze towards the entryway, Morgan notices his younger colleague.

“Reid, you’re back! Man, it’s good to see you!”

Spencer actually expects the friendly slap to the back from Morgan. However, what he does not expect is the sudden exclamation of, “Is that a tan I see? Wow, pretty boy!” Also the hand suddenly grabbing the collar of his shirt comes as a total surprise. “Yet there are no tan lines at your neck… Now this I gotta see!”

Before Spencer can even blink, Morgan jumps.

***

Hotch could feel his eyes starting to ache from all the paper work. His coffee mug sat empty next to a pile of files on his desk. Obviously it was time to get up and go have a refill. If it was also a good opportunity to leave his office to stretch his legs and check up on his team, he would not complain.

As the unit chief stepped onto the walkway outside his office with the mug firmly in hand, the commotion in the bullpen drew his attention. Hotch could not clearly see what was going on so he drew a deep breath and prepared to face whatever problem his subordinates were having. Sometimes he felt like a father even at work. Walking down the stairs with an air of authority Hotch made his way towards the break room…

…where Morgan was apparently trying to wrestle Reid’s pants off the younger agent.

Hotch could do nothing but stare in shock at the antics of his two colleagues.

Reid was flailing his arms and practically squealing as Morgan was trying to restrain the younger man while tugging at Reid’s pants with almost uncharacteristic intent. Morgan was cursing and holding on to the wriggling genius who appeared to be only seconds away from resorting to biting the older agent. Neither had noticed Hotch yet.

So when the unit chief cleared his throat the two men startled apart. Reid blushed and hid his face behind his hair whereas Morgan merely crossed his arms and stood defiantly while staring straight at Hotch.

Reid stammered something incomprehensible and gestured towards the restrooms. Hotch was too busy with his staring contest to spare him a glance as the genius quickly retreated into the men’s room.

***

_“Oh God. Oh God. Ohgodohgodohgod. Hotch saw that. I have no idea how long Hotch had been standing there. Oh God! I’m going to_ kill _Morgan!”_

Spencer stares at himself in the restroom mirror. His face is still flushed both from trying to escape Morgan and the remnants of a blush. Spencer’s hold on the sink is turning his knuckles white. His eyes look sadly back at him while his head is full of thoughts of how this affects his career. And his relationship with their supervisor.

He is trying to figure out what just happened. Spencer does not know how to react. He was stunned by the sudden attack and now he is hiding in the men’s room.

Spencer hears the door open behind him and watches through the reflection in the mirror how Hotch walks towards him and stops a few steps before reaching his target. Quietly Hotch just stares at Spencer. When the genius finally meets the other man’s eyes in the mirror, Hotch lets out the breath he was apparently holding.

“Reid. Spencer. Are you okay?” Slowly he extends his left hand to lay it gently on Spencer’s shoulder. Too soon the warm palm slips away. “Morgan wants to apologize. He told me that he practically attacked you. Is that true?” Not breaking their eye contact in the mirror Spencer gives his boss a slow nod. Honestly he does not even know why Morgan had decided to jump him. He tells Hotch so.

What he does not expect is a deep chuckle. “Apparently he realized you have a tan without any lines. He just could not resist checking how far that tan went.” Spencer cannot help returning the smile that he sees tugging at Hotch’s lips. Figures Morgan would be distracted by something like that.

Spencer turns to look directly at Hotch. He takes a deep breath and brushes some of his hair off his face. Despite his attempts the lock just springs back into its original place.

“I…umm…managed to spend some time at a pool with mother. There was just a strict ‘no shirts’ rule, so…umm…” Spencer can feel the blush returning on his face and he nervously scratches his nose. “So…uh…tan lines.” He breathes out a soft laugh. “They probably end at my…” He leaves the sentence hanging. There are things Hotch is not required to know about his subordinates.

***

Normally Hotch prided himself on his self-control. However, it would seem that there were also those moments when all that control would decide to forfeit and retreat into a corner to lick its wounds. Trying not to imagine Spencer, that is, Reid, at a pool without a shirt and only dressed in - what? Slacks? Swimming shorts? Or even a speedo? - took all of that self-control and ultimately even that was not enough. Hotch hoped he still had a somewhat neutral look on his face. After all, Reid was standing only few feet away.

Deciding he really needed to change the subject, Hotch smiled at his young team member. “Morgan is most likely worried sick that he hurt you. Reid, if it’s alright with you, come back out and get to work. You can’t just spend your first day back slacking off.” In what Hotch hoped was a friendly gesture, he patted Reid on the back and walked out of the men’s room.

Only now he realized that he was still holding his empty mug in his free hand. With a small grin Hotch finally made his way into the break room to get his much needed coffee.

As he was almost in his office, Hotch spared a look into the bullpen over his shoulder and noticed that Spencer was now working at his desk. He was smiling at Morgan who appeared to be sharing an amusing anecdote with Reid and JJ who had appeared during the restroom debacle. Reid laughed suddenly and the unit chief could see his eyes crinkling with the force of the joyful laughter. Even that mop of hair appeared to curl in delight and the overall picture was so full of ease that Hotch could feel a grin tugging at the corners of his own lips.

With that thought he entered into his office and closed the door after him. The sound of Spencer’s laughter would make it a lot easier to finish his paper work in time. Hotch might even admit that the sight of Spencer’s happiness was better than coffee.

The End


End file.
